Lightning Storm
by celticgirl101
Summary: In a world where everyone is divided by the colour of their blood, Mare Molly Barrow encounters an unknown girl with gifts similar to hers. She's viewed as a threat to the royal family and the history of the nation. No Red can conjure an ability. No Silver can poses more then one. Yet, these two girls deify the rules. These two girls, are better then both. Red Queen.
1. The Little Lightning Girls

**In a world where everyone is divided by the colour of their blood, Mare Molly Barrow encounters an unknown girl with gifts similar to hers. With red blood running through both their veins, they both poses abilities that can not be explained. But when it's discovered that this strange girl holds more abilities then everyone else, she's viewed as a threat to the royal family and history of the nation. While Mare comes to terms with her own new ability and troubles of a future princess, this powerful stranger is beaten and trained into a weapon that will be used for war.**

 **No Red can conjure an ability. No Silver can poses more then one. Yet, these two girls deify the rules. In a world where everyone is divided by the colour of their blood, Red and Silver. These girls are better then both.**

 **Rise, Red as the Dawn.**

 **The Red Queen and The War Weapon, a pair that can not be broken.**

* * *

"Evangeline, of House Samos."

Everyone knows the name, even the king and queen. But not Mare, Mare has no idea who this snide girl is. The girl is dressed in black leather unlike the others, in their smooth silk dresses. In all her iron covered suit, she is obviously the favourite. Everyone knows who will win the Queenstrial.

She looks the weakest; Mare thought. Although Evangeline Samos is far from it. She makes a show of her ability, proving that she is certainly powerful enough to win. The sound of bullets ring aloud, below the crystallized net. Soon, pipes splinter the floor of the arena. They burst through the walls and twisted around Evangeline with an earth-shattering noise. Sparks fall from the lightning shield, but she doesn't care. She's hungry for power, she's hungry for the crown. She would do anything to show up her competitors. That includes using the audience in her little show.

It starts slowly, a slight change in balance, until every box in Mare's row lurches forward. It begins bending and making everyone in it tip. The glass she was holding, fell and shattered on the lightning shield, as the silvers applause shortly turned to screams. The silverware tumbled and turned over the rail and with it Mare Molly Barrow.

She fell silently, waiting for her body to hit the lightning shield. Her eyes closed, she couldn't feel herself falling, not until she realised she wasn't. With one strong hand, she was being held by a girl leaning over the railing. A member of the high house? No.

A servant, like her.

Her eyes are wide, but not scared. Determined. The box lurches backward, then quickly forward. As if Evangeline wants the pair of girls to die. It wouldn't be surprising; Mare thought.

Even if this girl is a Strongarm, it wouldn't help. The young servant fell over the railing. Neither of them scream, both waiting for death.

Mare expects to see her skin burn and fry. But all she _feels,_ is the lightning running over her entire body. The electricity run through her bones and her nerves. Mare turns, the fear of seeing that girl dead beside quickly subside. All she can see is that same girl, full of life and _lightning_. The shield keeps trying to kill them, but it can't. Everything in Mare feels wrong, but right at the same time.

 _This shouldn't be possible._

The shield gives way, giving off black smock and starting to crack. The first thought Mare has, is that they have to get off this thing. But the dying shield shatters, and they both tumble over each other.

Somehow they're both still alive. Mare landing in a pile of dust and the girl landing near Evangeline's sculpture.

Mare struggled to her feet first, all eyes on the burned Red girls. The human lightning rods.

Evangeline's eye darted between them both. Wide and scared. She jumped back slightly when the red servant lifted her head and began to rise. Mare tried distracting her with a pathetic _Hi_. But it didn't work. She answers with a flurry of metal shards, all of them sharp and deadly, pointed at the girls hearts as they rip through the air. Before Mare can register what's happening, the girl incinerates them with a wave of her hand. To her surprise, Mare does the same as she throws up her hands. Hoping to save herself from the worst of it.

She nearly fries Evangeline, but settled with a four foot hole in the wall just behind her head. All eyes on them.

"Mare," a strong voice calls out from the floor. She turns to find nothing but dust.

Every silver eye was on the pair of girls, even the king leaned over the edge of his box.

"Sentinels."

His voice a raiser. She suddenly grabs the wrist of Mare, hard. She turns her as the sky begins to bleed Sentinels and soldiers.

 _She was just on the floor._

"Run," her voice determined, again. "Don't look back. Go. NOW." Her voice full of anger and a strength that Mare had never heard before.

With reluctance, Mare bolted from the scene, leaving the girl that had tried to save her alone, with the Sentinels and _Evangeline._ She sprinted and jumped down the gaping hole she had made with her lightning, s _eize them!_ Echoing behind her as she goes. Was she following? Would Mare ever learn the name of that brave girl?

* * *

It wasn't her time to die, but Ava was giving it her best. Evangeline had run off somewhere to hide from the little red girl, which meant she was left alone in the arena with the Sentinels and the eyes of all the high houses. There was no way she was letting them take Mare, even if Ava had to give her own life. She took all the breath she could before running, toward them.

They move with speed and accuracy, something they've been trained to do since birth. But so has she, and they don't know that.

She jumps and lunges toward the first Sentinel, wrapping her legs tightly around his neck and flips him to the ground with a nasty crack. She kicks out the legs of the second, holding his arm behind his back until she heard the wanted break. Her cheek collides with the dusty floor as another kicks her from behind, but she's up in just enough time to drag him to the floor by his shoulder and knee him where she knows it would hurt the most. Ava heard the gasps of all the silvers as she floors the Sentinels, but they put up a fight that quickly tires her. One catches her arm, hard. Ava let's out a painful scream as her blood begins to freeze, more soldiers and Sentinels beginning to run at her and the hole. She reaches out a hand and tugs at whatever piece of skin she could find. Without a though, fire starts blazing from her hand - causing the Sentinel to stumble back and fall. Another runs for her, but she falls to the floor and catches his ankle and shocks him with lightning. As much as she could, that is. Her energy quickly fading.

She has no choice but to run. Too many of them, and only one of her.

No where to run, she realises, as they circle her with no escape. She realises she's forced to show another one of her abilities, one she always said she's hide, in front of all these silvers. Even the king and queen.

Ava runs at the hole, the Sentinels blocking her pathway.

Everyone's breath catches as they realise she's gone, right in front of their eyes. The whole arena is silenced as they look around, expecting her to jump out shouting _Here I am!_

* * *

Ava tore through the corridors, dodging the guards with guns as she follow's the thoughts of Mare. As she rounds a corner, she finally caught sight of her and gave out a shout. Sentinels broke through glass and mirror in front of Ava, not even noticing her. She begins to run at them but Mare slips past both of the tall orange beasts, taking Ava's hand, they both run in the opposite direction with more glass and mirror shattering behind them.

When they finally find a window, it's made of diamond glass. Walls of red and orange come storming from both sides.

"I'll buy us some time," she squeezes Mare's hand.

While she runs off, Mare let's out a short laugh. She turns her head to the left, seeing the red girl strongly fighting her way through Sentinels. Something she didn't think were possible. She saw a blaze of fire then lightning. A blur of water, glass and even blood.

But it wasn't enough. Mare heard her scream and then she herself was swallowed by thick, black smock. It was slowly suffocating her.

Ava had fended off two, maybe three Sentinels but it wasn't enough. By the time she turned to check on Mare, what she saw was the Prince choking her with his ability. _Burner_. His eyes were sad as her body weakened. She met his eyes for a brief moment before trying to save Mare. Running forward, shouting her name, she was quickly dragged back by a force that stopped her breathing. A force she could have matched if it weren't for her tired being. Dragged through the long corridor, until her back met the marble wall, Ava's head lolled to the side. Everything went black after that, for both of them.

Mare's sleeping body was gently lowered to the ground by Cal. He rose to his feet, a frown of confusion and sadness plastered across his features. He couldn't understand what had happened to the other Red servant. Not until his eyes focused on the Sentinel standing next to her battered body.

 _Telky_.

* * *

 **Disclaimer - I do not own Red Queen.**

 **If you enjoyed, please review :)**


	2. Breaking Point

"Impossible," the shadow says to me. The voice is so sharp, I fear it might crack my skull. I fall on to my knees, colliding with what feels like concrete.

And then they're all gone, my entire family. Gone. Concrete and steel bars rise around me. _A cage_.

Before I struggle to my feet, I notice another cell next to me. But it's not empty. It holds the girl. The red girl, just like me. Her body collapsed on the marble floor in a tangled mess. Her long hair a mass of waves next to her. I see blood, too. Red blood. Her blood.

I watch as her crown glitters on her head. She smirks at me on the floor, then turns and drags her dress toward the next cell. As she comes to stand in front of the girl, her eyes flutter shut. Queen Elara, she's a _whisper._ She's trying to rake through her thoughts, just like she did me. Pulling at her every memory, every nightmare.

Queen Elara's eyes open after just a moment. She looks at the girl and her perfect eyebrows furrow. Her eyes narrow at the red girl, then she takes a step back and gasps.

What just happened? What did she see?

Elara shakes her head slightly then comes to stand in front of me. I struggle to my feet, I use the cold bars to help me. The girl is still unconscious, why?

Elara eyes me. She doesn't look like she did before. Now she looks confused, now she looks scared.

* * *

I'm forced to watch as they drag her in. Her burnt clothes replaced with fitted black trousers, black ankle boots and a thick, baggy, long sleeved white jumper that slips off one of her shoulders. As she comes closer to the kings throne, I notice her hands are tied behind her back with a Sentinel holding her arm tightly. Her cheekbone is bruised, her lip is split, and a small gash resides above her right eye.

She's stopped by the Sentinel where I once stood. She is not told to kneel, she is thrown on her knees. She doesn't make a sound, she doesn't show any surrender. She's strong.

Her hair whips the floor as she recovers from the fall. She straightens her back and squares her shoulders. She sits on her knees and looks Tiberias dead in the eyes. The Sentinel doesn't leave, he watches over her with menacing eyes.

"You, _girl_ ," Tiberias smiles wickedly. "Are entirely different to _Lady Titanos_ , over here." The king spears me a glance, she doesn't.

Like me, he throws a file at her. Unlike me, it only has a single piece of paper in it.

"Angelika Ed-"

"My name is Ava," she interrupts Tiberias. The Sentinel standing next to her shifts and smacks her across the face.

I gasp. She recovers quickly, the split in her lip starts to bleed again. She's angry, her eyes are like daggers.

"Angelika Edna Katerina Gatley, born October ninth, 301 of the New Era," Tiberias recites from memory, again.

"You, dear girl, were born on the war front," he announces. "Parents - unknown. Known siblings - none. Born on the war front, raised on the war front and then conscripted at the age of nine. Trained, top of your unit. Intelligent, excellent in hand to hand combat as well as with a knife. Perfect aim with a standard military weapon and you hit with precision. You are quick, you are clever. The perfect Red soldier," he says it like he's proud. "Sent to the front line at the age of fourteen," Tiberias continues. "Then medically discharged at the age of sixteen. That is where you were awarded your scars, I'm guessing."

The front line? He gestures toward her shoulder. I squint and notice a long scar run from the base of her neck and over her collarbone, it disappears under her jumper.

Tiberias laughs. "You matched _seven_ of my Sentinels without even using a gun. Not only that, but you are a red girl with abilities. Yes, Angelika. You are entirely different to Lady Titanos. You are not only a Red soldier, but you are a Red with more then one ability. Many more."

Ava's eyes are daggers, but she still manages to smile sweetly up at the king. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Tiberias nods to Elara, then suddenly, a pair of doors to my left that I hadn't noticed, open. A girl with blonde hair and wild eyes, get's pushed through the door by a Sentinel. She can't be more then thirteen or fourteen, it worries me what they might do to her.

Once the young girl gets close enough, she see's Ava on the floor. She immediately starts shouting her name. It takes Ava a moment to recognize her face.

"Daphne?" She says quietly. The young girl starts crying as she's made to stand in front of Ava. "Daphne!" She says louder.

The Sentinel on both of their sides stop them from embracing. The Sentinel at Ava's side holds her back by her hand ties as she struggles on the floor.

This is horrifying.

Ava screams in frustration. She looks up at the entire Royal family, her face angry, not one tear in sight.

"Why don't you just kill me?!"

Tiberias laughs horridly, again. "Oh, but Angelika. I need you to save your little friend here."

It takes me a moment to realise what he's going to do.

The Sentinel standing by Ava, lifts her to her feet and begins dragging her to the back of the room. She calls back to the young girl called Daphne, hot tears streak her face.

"I will give you five seconds until my Sentinel shoots your friend." Daphne let's out a cry.

"How am I meant to save her from all the way over here?" Ava growls at the king from the far end of the hall.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Tiberias tells her, a wicked grin on his face.

The Sentinel pushes Daphne to her knees right in front of the entire royal family. It's like they don't care if they see a young girl getting shot right in front of them. I notice Cal turn his head away slightly when the masked Sentinel next to Daphne, rises a gun to her head.

I can't watch this.

"Five." Tiberias starts the countdown.

Ava let's out a scream and melts the metal that binds her hands together.

"Four."

I hear Daphne cry as Ava runs. She's not going to make it.

"Three."

She's gone.

"Two."

Ava grips Daphne by the arm and lifts her. She pushes the Sentinel's chest and then he's suddenly thrown across the room.

"One."

What just happened?

"As I thought," Tiberias nods.

Ava and the young girl start backing away. They stop when the king laughs, Ava steps in front of Daphne.

"I don't know where you came from or how you came to be here," he gestures to the palace.

"What," Ava nearly spits. She fixes her gaze on Elara and leans in slightly. "Couldn't you read my mind?"

Elara's eyes turn to daggers, she looks as if she wants to rip Ava apart.

"You're not the only _whisper_ here," Ava's voice is venom. What is happening?

"No," Tiberias shakes his head. "You are much to valuable to kill. The marriage of Lady Titanos to my son Prince Maxon, will help us gain support from the Reds and ensure the deterioration of The Scarlet Guard. But your abilities," he gestures toward Ava. "Will help us win the war."

"I'll never go back there. Not for you, not for anyone."

Her face isn't red, she isn't crying, she isn't angry. She doesn't look scared, she looks determined. Her eyes filled with something I can't quite place. I've never seen someone like her before.

"Oh, but you will. Don't think you can get any ideas, either. If you try and escape, I'll burn down the Red villages. The death of a few hundred Reds won't bother me, but it will you. Won't it?" Tiberias tilts his head. "You will both stay here. You," he points at Ava. "Will stay here and train. If you even think of stepping out of line, you won't like what happens to your friend."

"We'll disguise you as a child born on the war front, your father was a disgraced Silver and your mother a Red. A mistake, something new, something impossible. Your blood is Red but you were graced with abilities from your fathers side. Upon hearing this, you immediately offered to go back to war with your new found abilities and help your nation win the war."

Tiberias leans forward in his throne, he carefully places his elbows on his knees.

"Everyone has a breaking point, Angelika. It's only a matter of time before we find yours."

No one makes a noise.

Sentinels open the giant door to the hall. They file in and four surround Ava and her friend, Daphne. They walk her out of the room, she stops at the doors and I see her move her lips. No one really noticed, except for Elara. She shifts, her face contorts and becomes angrier then I've ever seen. Elara is the only one that understands what Ava said. The queen gracefully exits the room a second later. I can't help but glance at Cal. His facial features are still and emotionless but his eyes burn with sadness. With his eyes trained on Ava, he too noticed her _whisper_.

Lucas has to drag me from the hall, since I can't seem to move my legs.


	3. Scars

The Sentinels take me to a small room with wide windows and no bed. A dressing table and a tall wardrobe resides in one corner. A flush chair in another. They push Daphne into the silver chair and make me stand in the centre of the room. I look at her round cheeks, dry tears mark them. I want to embrace her tightly, make sure they didn't hurt her.

The door opens and I'm pushed to my knees by the Sentinel holding the cuffs around my wrists. I would laugh if I wasn't so angry. I could melt or break or slip out of these cuffs with a snap of a finger, but I can't. If I mess up, that'll mean someone will get hurt. Me or Daphne, it could be anyone. So, I let them push me around.

I lift my head and see four maids. All of them I know. All of them I work with. _Worked_ with.

I look up and their eyes widen and expressions turn to confusion. They then duck their head and look away. Having worked here for nearly a year, I understand why.

 _Say nothing_ _. Here nothing. You are nothing here_ , they say. The most important rules a Red servant must obey whilst in this jail.

I'm risen to my feet by the Sentinels. They remove the hand ties and Roselyn, one of the Red maids, places a piece of folded paper in my hand. I open it and glance at the black ink.

 _ **Step out of line, and one of them will get hurt.**_

 _ **Her Royal Highness Queen Elara of House Merandus.**_

I look up at their blank faces. I do something wrong, anyone of them could be tortured or kill. I crunch the piece of paper into a ball in my hand and blow out a breath to refrain myself from screaming. I glance at Daphne's small frame and still eyes. They aren't my friends, but they are the closest thing to it. I know these maids too well to see them dead or hurt. So, I do as I'm told. I let them bathe me. I let them dry and wave my long hair. I let them cover me with the white paste used on Silver's to make their complexion look paler. They don't apply enough to take away the warmth in my skin, but just enough to make me different. I'm not pale enough to be a Silver, yet my skin misses the natural blush of a Red.

The I remember who I'm supposed to be. A Silver and a Red.

They don't look at my scars when the four of them dress me. They don't ask me any questions about them, because they aren't aloud.

The gown is a deep red. The gown is the colour of blood. My blood.

 _Red._

I don't belong to a specific house. So, they choose to put me in a gown that I relate to. It's plain, floor length and displays my figure. The gown attempts to hide my hard knots and my visible strength. The top half is made out of some lace with long sleeves and a collar covering my scars, and then the rest is made of a thick silk. It's simple.

They finish painting my lips with a colour that matches my gown and darkly decorate my eyes. I look menacing. I look fearless. I look beautiful. They're torturing me.

* * *

"As wonderful and happy as today has been, I must remind you why this choice has been made. The might of House Samos joined with my son, and all his children to follow, will help guide our nation. You all know the precarious state of our kingdom, with war in the north and foolish extremists, enemies to our way of life, attempting to destroy us from within. The Scarlet Guard might seem small and insignificant to us, but they represent a dangerous turn for our Red brothers."

The entire room scoffs at the term _brothers_ , myself included.

"Should this rebellious streak take hold, it will end in bloodshed and a divided nation, something I cannot bear. We must maintain the balance. Evangeline _and_ Mareena will help do that, for the sake of us all."

"But," Elara adds, "there is another that will assist our war torn nation. We saw two girls fall into the arena like a bolt of lightning, one of which - as we saw - posses more then one ability." The entire room erupts in shouts and anger.

"Please," the king stands. The room hushes. "I understand this is an impossibility. But this is a miracle in disguise. We have intensely interviewed this Red servant and discovered she is neither Silver nor Red, she is both. She may bleed red, but is in fact born to a Red mother and a disgraced silver at the war front. This girl has been scared by this nations one flaw." The entire room in furious.

"Angelika Edna Katerina Gatley."

With the sound of her name being called by the king, she ascends the stairs. Bathed in blood Red silk and powder that pales her skin slightly, she is contrasted against every Silver in the room. She looks neither Silver or Red, but it is obvious by her clothing she is supposed to be lesser then everyone. She is dressed in a simple elegant gown whilst others are wearing joules and diamonds and flush material. It's sickening. I didn't think it were possible to hate them more. I don't dare think what they are going to do to her.

The king gestures for Ava to stand in front of them both and the crowd.

She comes to a stop and gazes at us. Ava's head is help high and her face still. She almost looks as if she could break the room in half with only her gaze.

"Being raised on the war front, Angelika is already a keen fighter and soldier. Although medically discharged, Angelika will receive extra training at the palace to ensure a full recovery." The king turns to her. Ava turns to us.

"With my new found abilities," she starts, her voice strong, "I have decided it is only right and just of me to return to the war front and take my place as a soldier of Norta once more. It is my wish to aid this rightful nation to victory using the abilities I am blessed with."

I would have scoffed if Elara's eyes were not on me. This is all lies. Ava doesn't _wish_ to return to war, she's being forced to, threatened to. While everyone here is eating it all up, I know the truth. They are holding something over both our heads. We are being forced to do this by our enemies, and I loath them for it.

* * *

I don't know what to expect the first day here at the palace. After the feast last night, I was escorted to a room with Daphne asleep inside. I had had enough of the entire event, I didn't even bother changing. I fell asleep next to Daphne.

I wake up to golden light shining through the window. Daphne's still asleep next to me when I wake, her short blonde hair covering her face. I lie on my back looking up at the high ceiling, I had given up looking for a clock in this room. It's one of the smallest rooms here in the palace, but lavish.

I look at the dark drapes and my mind wonders back to the war. The torturous sleep, the smoke, the bombs and guns. Having never grown up in a house with a bed or table, this was all new to me after being discharge after the attack. Although, I quickly adapted. Coming from the war, it's something we're taught to do. I was moved around most of my life. Taught different things at different times.

Whenever I throw a punch or kick, I always she their faces. Eventually, you forget who you're fighting. You forget who you're killing if you're there for long enough. That is what happened to me. No one knows who or what they're fighting for. Land? Money? Weapons? Maybe all three. Maybe more.

The large doors open. Three Sentinels walk in, behind them the same four maids as last night. I blow out a breath when I see they are all unharmed and alive. I didn't step out of line or run my tongue.

A tray is laid on the bed. Two glasses of water, fruit, and bread sit on it. I stare at it for a long moment, coming to sudden realisation this is my life now. Eat, train, then back to war. There isn't much left to the imagination. I frown. But finally give Daphne the bread, water, fruit and eat some myself. Then the Sentinels leave, but I know they are outside the door. Guarding me. No. Keeping me here.

The four maids wait and stand with their heads lowered. I stand, the gown dragging behind me.

"You can speak you know," I offer. "The Sentinels are gone for now."

Three keep their heads down, but Roselyn lifts hers slightly. She gives me a small smile, but her eyes are filled with sadness and what looks like pity. Then I notice the clothing and shoes in her hands.

They feel pity for me, because they know what's to come.

* * *

I wash myself. I let the cold water run over my body for as long as I can, but then I'm pulled back to reality. Within minutes, I'm dressed. I look at my reflection. With the make up long gone, my face is left with a bruised cheek, split lip and cut eyebrow. I'm wearing trousers that end just below my knees and a training bra. Both are made out of a very tight but stretchy material. I can move freely, but the bra hugs my chest tightly, unfortunately. The pants are black, and the bra the colour of my blood. My shoes are the same. The colour of blood, light and suitable to run in with good grip.

The tight pants only reach my hip bone, and the bra only covers my chest. Leaving everything in the middle - bare.

A large dark purple bruise resides on my rib cage. I look at my scars in the long mirror. I let my fingertips graze over the long scar at the base of my neck, running across my collarbone and disappearing under my shoulder. Another on my forearm, then a couple more on the opposite arm. The most noticeable ones are on my abdomen.

I sigh at the jagged scar just below my ribcage. The memory of being stabbed still with me. Another scar resides three inches away from my belly button. Bullet. I turn. The clothing doesn't hide the long scar that begins at the nape of my neck, curving and just missing my shoulder blade. The memory of a knife, comes to mind. Some shrapnel scars lace my back too, from when I was stationed at the Choke. With most of my calves being exposed to, I see the barbed wire scar leading from my right ankle, shrivelling to a stop half way up my calf. Little cuts and minor scars lace my body, too. I fail to remember where or when I earned them all. I frown.

"They make you look strong," A small whisper rises behind me.

I turn, expecting it to be Daphne, but she still resides on the bed. Then I notice Roselyn's head lift slightly. My hand goes to the scar on my stomach. The other three lift their heads too, nodding slightly. I smile.

"They're making you wear that," Alba whispers, standing next to Roselyn. "They're making you wear that so they can show you off, and your scars." She must have overheard a conversation.

"I think they're trying to prove something," Katryn whispers then. "Make you more intimidating to the Silvers. They don't like the fact your blood is red, it makes the High Houses angry."

Their whispers remind me of where I am. Having served the Silver's long enough, I understand they will never adjust to me. I then realise women are not permitted to show this much skin in front of an audience, so there must be a reason why my scars are being displayed. I realise they are risking their lives to tell me this.

Daphne comes to stand by my side, then reaches for my hand. I hold it tight. She has an innocent smile on her face, but her eyes are full of dread. _What are they going to do with her?_

"Do you know what's supposed to happen to us today?" I lean in and ask quietly.

The fourth maid, Clee, leans in. "I heard you are supposed to be training today," she whispers. "Don't underestimate them," she gives me a grave look.

A Red servant see's and hears a lot, despite being told we are nothing. I don't have a clue who _them_ could be, nor do I want to know. But my worry flies back to the twelve year old girl next to me, and I give her hand a hard squeeze.

"What about-"

They shake their heads gently, knowing what my question would be. Their answer - they had not heard anything said about Daphne.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry it's been so long. It's just been so busy with school and everything, but I will try my best to update as soon as I can from now on. Leave a review if you enjoyed!**


	4. Crown Prince

I leave breakfast much too early, and come straight to protocol. I walk toward the windows, hoping to watch the Silver teenagers train before my lesson begins in half an hour. Being isolated and feeling alone has resorted in me having to watch someone dodge a target, to keep me entertained.

I look out the window at the training facilities. I expect to find Cal and Maven dodging targets and throwing fire but I see no one. It's empty. I realise I have no clue when they start training. So, I move to the next window, hoping they are just in another corner or the training hall.

I see no Silver teenagers and I find myself frowning. I turn, but something catches my eye. I try and focus my gaze. I then realise it's Sentinels standing in one corner of the track. But then another two figures catch my eye. One tall man standing beside the track, arms crossed. Another with long dark brown hair standing on the track, surrounded by the Sentinels. But then, the three of them lurch from their positions. Before I know it, they've cleared half the track already, sprinting. It almost looks like a race.

She's the fastest of them all. Sprinting ahead of the heavy Sentinels. Something's not right. I had seen all of the Silver's train in jumpsuits the colour of their house, yet this girl wears a deep Red training bra and tight pants cut just below the knees. Her long hair looks too familiar.

I step back.

It's Ava.

So many questions run through my mind. I haven't seen Ava since the feast, almost three days ago. I search for Daphne in the training hall, but my eyes can't find her. That worries me.

I look as close as I can, wondering if I could catch her attention. I never managed to thank her for catching me before I fell, or for everything after that. But I realise it might get the both of us in trouble. I sigh, frowning, and settle with watching.

From all the way up here, I see her skin is bruised and darkened. The right side of her ribcage looking the worst of all. I squint. Her face is cut and bruised, too.

I watch as she sprints, around and around the track. Then she's told to move to anther section. Five minutes blur by filled with metal, targets, fire, lightning and fist fights. I see Ava collide with the floor many a time. When she's being pulled out of the training hall, she's breathing heavily and sweating. I see blood drip from her face and new bruises already forming. I try and follow her shadow through the corridors, but lose her in the infinite hallways of this palace.

Not even a minute after Ava leaves, the doors to the training hall open once again, this time revealing Silver after Silver. Eventually they create groups among themselves, and start training.

I wonder for a moment if they had known Ava had been there before them. Being trained separately. Segregated.

I hear the door open behind me and feel Lady Blonos' eyes on me. I sigh, stepping away from the window.

* * *

After six days, I finally get into a routine. I wake at five in the morning, in a different room or cell each day. Eat, wash, then change. I train for an hour in the training hall, we begin with timed laps. The first one is always a steady jog, but every lap after, I'm forced to sprint. After that, it's weaponry or sparring, although I wouldn't really call it that. No abilities are used when I'm training, unless I'm told to use them. Then I train with two or three Sentinels, depending on what I'm doing. They sometimes back me into a corner, throw me across the room, or get me in my ribs or jaw. It's difficult to tell which House the Sentinels are from, and that's my weakness. I sometimes win the fights, but I sometimes lose. I always leave the training hall on time, either being dragged out, pushed, or if possible, I walk. I always leave a trail of dripping blood behind me. I always leave with old cuts opening on my face again and new bruises forming on top of old ones.

I always leave on time, a minute before the first teenage Sliver opens the doors to the training hall. It's like clock work, it's clever. Although I can't understand why they'd give me the same revealing clothes to wear everyday, yet not one Silver see's me or my many scars or bruises.

After a half hour with Daphne, I'm moved to another room with padded floors and large windows. I fight for hours, with and without my abilities.

I never see the king or queen. I never see the princes or Mare, even. A Red servant occasionally whispers something into my ear, from time to time. I see Daphne whenever I can, at night or at lunch. She's given books to read and paper to write on, she says. They haven't hurt her, I know they haven't. I told her to keep quiet and make no trouble. She promised she wouldn't, and she hasn't. I'm so proud of her. As long as I comply and do whatever I'm told, no one get's hurt. So, I do as I'm told. I walk through the halls of the palace silently and tiredly, everyday. I walk like a corps, in and out of rooms or rings or halls.

Yesterday, I was trained outside for a while, but out of the eyes of every silver. Every window blackened by a Shadow, bender of light. I took in all the fresh air I could before I was taken back inside. It was nice to see the sun again.

Being here isn't so bad. I'm fed bread and meat and fruit. Nothing is extremely different to when I was at war. Daphne is safe, but sooner or later I'm going to have to get her out of here. They tell me I don't have long before I'll be posted to a specific section on the front line. If I'm not here, Daphne will have no one, that will make her disposable to the royal family. That's something I will never let happen.

I'm lucky this morning, I get to see Daphne. I'm dressed in my usual uniform, but I'm also given a deep Red pullover with a hood. It's thick and warm and very specious. I wonder for a moment if I'm training somewhere cold today.

I'm walking though infinite hallways, a Sentinel at each side. We finally come to a stop at large doors, this must be her room. The doors open and I see Daphne sitting on the bed. Her eyes light up when she see's me and she jumps off the bed and runs to me. I have to stifle a grunt as she hugs me tightly, my ribs not yet healed. But I don't mind, I smile and hug her back. The doors close behind me and I sit on the bed with her. She shows me her note pad filled with drawings and some of her work. She hands me the books she had been given by the Queen. Most were about posture and how to be a Lady, but some were on Math and other subjects. Daphne frowns when I go through them.

"I don't understand most of it," her voice quiet. She smiles slightly then, "but I try."

"I know you do," I pull her into a hug. I exhale loudly and gently slip a piece of cake wrapped in baking paper, into Daphne's pocket.

I release her from the hug and her eyes widen when she realises what it is. I let my hand go to my mouth, indicating for her to keep it quiet.

"One of the maids managed to slip it to me," I whisper.

"You remembered," Daphne's eyes start to tear up. The look on her face make my eyes wet but I don't let the tears fall. She needs me to be strong.

"Happy thirteenth birthday, sweetheart," I whisper, a wide smile on my face. "You didn't think I would forget, did you?" I joke.

She laughs lightly, wipes her face and shakes her head.

"Ava," Daphne starts. "What are they doing to you? You don't look so good, your face..." she trails. "I've never seen you this bad. I mean look at your knuckles-"

I glance down at my torn hands, the skin bruised and broken. I can tell she's scared for me. I understand she's scared, she doesn't know what's happening to me or what's going to happen to her. It breaks my heart not knowing either. It takes everything in me to reassure her, but I know it's the right thing to do.

"I'm fine, Daphne," I say, holding her hand. "Everything's going to be fine."

I get a few more minutes with her before the door opens again, then I know it's time to go. I hug her once more and place a kiss on her temple.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you too," she says back as a Sentinel's hand lands on my arm, dragging me out of the room.

The doors are closed quickly behind me, then suddenly I'm standing in front of a fresh face. Black hair and warm, golden red eyes bore into mine. Looking through my green-grey eyes, as if he's attempting to read my mind. But he is not his stepmother, and he is not me. His memories and thoughts pass by, my gaze never wavering.

I bow sarcastically, unable to resist the temptation, "Tiberias Calore the Seventh," I say flatly. "A pleasure to finally meet you." I see the Sentinels step forward, ready to strike me for being rude toward the Crown Prince but, he raises his hand - stopping them. How nice, I could have snarled. He spared me.

"It's Cal, for now," he says with no bite. "And I wish I could say they same," he smiles secretively. I'm not making such a good first impression, what a pity.

He indicates for me to follow, and I reluctantly do but with a final glance at Daphne's door and a push of a Sentinel. Cal catches me looking.

"Is she your sister?" He asks, glancing at me as we walk.

I look forward, not bothering to look at his pale, muscular face. He already knows the answer to that question. He was there when his father threw a file in my face and announced I had no family, I had no home, and threatened me.

"Yes, she is," I say finally.

"She's your sister, yet you have no family?" I look at him. My eyebrows knitted together and my eyes narrowed. I can tell he regrets the decision of asking the question. I understand what he means, but I can tell he wishes he could go back and rephrase it.

"Only because we are not related by blood, doesn't mean we are not sisters," I say. "She's the closest thing I've ever had to family, so yes. She is my sister," I say softer then I intended.

There is a stiff silence between us for a moment, nothing to be heard except for heavy breathing and loud footsteps of the Sentinels behind me.

"I've been watching you train," Cal tells me. "Where were you stationed, Angelika?"

"It's Ava," my voice a razor. "Everywhere," I breathe, not bothering to look at him. "The Choke, at the front, the camps, to name a few. I was stationed by the water a couple of times."

We stop at grand doors. "Were you always a foot soldier, Ava?"

"Yes," I turn to him. Annoyed and slightly worried the Prince is digging too deep, I ensure my gaze is cold and emotionless. "Why?" I ask.

"It's strange," Cal turns to face me. "I've been to almost all of those stations, on Royal visits or training there myself. I've also overseen the training of Red soldiers yet, you wield more skill, weaponry and combat training then I've ever seen from a Red foot soldier."

I blink up at him once, twice, but offer him a smooth smile. My eyes narrow slightly, "Well, I'm lucky. I've been training hard here for almost a week, I must have picked up on a few things."

Cal nods in agreement, giving me a slight smile. He looks sceptical, he knows I'm lying. I've silenced him for now, it will have to do.

"Why are we here?" I look at the doors.

"You're training with me today," his voice changes, full of authority this time. I pause, looking up at the doors. I haven't had the pleasure of training with anyone except for Sentinels and Arlo. Now, suddenly everything's changed. Are they going to make me fight these people?

"Okay, but why now? It has to be past seven," although I have no watch, I can here them inside the training hall. "That means a hall full of hormonal Silver teenagers, each with their own ability..." Cal's face is still. "Not to mention my blood is Red... Am I there to intimidate them? Fight them?"

"You will be training with me for today," he starts, a small smile on his face. He almost looks amused. "You will not be interacting with the High Houses. They will be in the centre of the room, focusing on their abilities. We will be moving from weaponry to physical training and so forth."

I sigh and look at the door, again. Tired, I don't argue with him. I can't argue with him, it will only cause trouble.

"Do you really think it wise to walk in there with me? Maybe you should enter and I'll follow thirty seconds after. Wouldn't want Lady Samos to be upset, right?" I joke. I see a glimmer of a smirk, but it vanishes just as quickly. I almost feel sorry for him, that is until I remember who he is. A Prince.

Dressed in my usual trainers, tight, cut off black pants and sports bra - luckily covered by the pullover I'm wearing, I push open the door. Cal, dressed in a jumpsuit the colour of his house, pushes open the other.

The entire room falls silent as we walk through, Sentinels never far behind.


End file.
